A school website has gone from a nice to have to a central piece of a school’s marketing message in the span of a decade. Even in just the past few years, it has gone from a desktop-driven world to a mobile driven 
world. A lot of schools are even releasing dedicated iPhone and Android apps.
The question that I get a lot is which platform should I build my website on?
It’s really a tough question to answer, because it depends. "It depends" is something that Wi-Fi folks say a lot, so most of you should be used to it. It depends on a lot of factors:
- Budget
- Goals
- Timeline for website launch
A lot of schools will simply contact a web design firm or a marketing firm to handle their layout and design, and that is a totally valid option. They aren’t concerned if its WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, etc. They just want a website that looks good and conveys their brand.
This article is for the schools on a budget. What are your options? Here are the 3 options that I typically recommend:
Option 1 :WordPress.com
WordPress.com is a WordPress site that is hosted by WordPress. There is no server to manage or software to install. There are ample themes available, and it’s a well established platform. You can’t do all of the custom work that a “self hosted” WordPress site can do (more on that later), but it’s a perfectly valid trade off for many. They have an iPhone app that allows you to make content edits along with publishing new blog posts.
Price: Free to get started, but schools will want a handful of add-ons.
Option 2: WordPress Self Hosted
This is a popular option for a lot of larger schools with more technical expertise. You do have to setup a server with a web host (most of the major ones have one click WordPress installations). WordPress self hosted is powering at least 20% of the entire internet. It is very customizable with an extensive plugin system. If you want to do something, chances are there is a plugin you can buy.
With all this flexibility comes a price, though. If things go awry, there isn’t always an easy fix. You’ll be responsible for backups, software updates, etc.
Price: Free software, but hosting, plugins and themes can add to the cost.
Option 3: Squarespace
Disclaimer: Squarespace sponsors Out of School.
Squarespace has gotten really popular in the past couple of years. From their frequent advertising on a lot of podcasts to their Superbowl ads, many of you have probably heard of them. They are an all-in-one platform. There is no software to download or servers to manage. They have built in e-commerce (helpful for online donations), splash pages, and all themes are responsive (meaning that they look great regardless of the type of device). Their back-end system is all drag and drop, so it’s quite easy for non technical folks to add pages, content, etc.
They don’t have a plug-in system like WordPress, but they do have a Developer Portal. The Developer Platform gives you full control over a site’s HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. They host the websites and manage the software, so you don’t have to do anything.
Price: Starts at $8/month and can go up from there depending on which package you pick.
What’s the best?
I’d recommend most schools go with Squarespace unless you have a reason that you need WordPress. Squarespace makes it easy to get a website that looks great up and running quickly, so I highly recommend it. If you have the budget, expertise, and the need for a fully customized self-hosted WordPress site, then it might be worth looking at. For everyone else, try out Squarespace’s 14 day free trial (no credit card required).